Here’s a legislative update for today. We expect that the legislature will adjourn tonight.

What’s happening:

1. We have defeated HB 2060-Awhich repealed the small business tax cut passed by the 2013 legislature. It would have been a direct $200 million tax increase on small business, but the Senate did not move forward with the legislation.

2. The transportation funding package – HB 2017 – passed the House last night and will likely pass the Senate today. This is a 7-year, $5.3 billion funding package that levies several new taxes and but puts billions in new investments into the state transportation system. You can read the summary here.

3. Predictive scheduling – SB 828 – passed with strong bipartisan support. The bill requires 7-day advance notice of scheduling with additional wages due for scheduling changes. It applies to retailers, hospitality establishments and food service establishments with 500 or more employees. In return, business gets a preemption on all local workplace scheduling ordinances.

4. The ‘Overtime Fix’ legislation – HB 3458 – will gain final passage today. The bill fixes an adverse BOLI ruling that levies double overtime payments when a manufacturing employee reaches both daily and weekly overtime thresholds. The final legislation takes into account many industry concerns that were raised during the course of the debate. The bill passed the Senate 30-0 yesterday. Final approval in the House is expected to be strongly bipartisan.

5. We have defeated all attempts to increase Oregon’s $500,000 non-economic damage limits. SB 487, SB 737, and HB 2807 were all defeated. Business and health care groups, including key local Chambers, were very effective at blocking this legislation all session.

6. The major rent control legislation – HB 2004 – was defeated in the final days.

7. Our belief that there was an expedited pathway to balancing the state budget and adjourning with (1) no additional tax revenue needed, and (2) without the need for a “special session” to balance the budget, has proven to be true. But all of this will be totally contingent on the state’s economy providing record amounts of revenue. The state budget is balancing on the head of a pin. If there’s a hiccup in the state’s economy, we’ll likely be in some trouble.

Sine Die:

Legislators are working aggressively to adjourn this evening. The work may bleed over until tomorrow, but at any rate, the die is cast and all bills are simply waiting for floor votes. There are no bills left in committee.

OSCC Activity:

THANK YOU for the overwhelming response to the OSCC ACTION ALERT on HB 2060-A. Local chambers were a HUGE factor in the Senate not moving forward with HB 2060-A.